Twelve Months Old

"It's so quiet." Maura pointed out in a hushed whisper as she curled into Janes side, pressing lazy kisses along her wife's jawline. Jane felt a small smile play on her lips at the feeling of being woken to Mauras naked body pressed against her.

"I can't believe it's been a whole year." Jane spoke through a yawn as she turned her whole body so she was now facing the blonde woman beside her. She forced her eyes open and was greeted with the sleepy, content grin of her wife.

"I want to talk about having more." Maura confessed, quickly moving closer so she could bury her face and avoid the look of dread that she knew would be crossing Janes face.

"Okay, let's talk about it then." Jane whispered, a small smile playing on her lips as she pressed a kiss to the top of Mauras head. The notion of having more children already had seemed daunting to Jane until she lay where she did, her arms wrapped around Maura and the sound of little feet pattering down the hallway. This was bliss. How could anyone not want more of this?

"Mama!" The sound of their little girl calling for Jane from the other side of the bedroom door made them both jump, Maura instinctively grabbing a nightgown from beside the bed and pulling it over her bare body before making her way to let the one year old in.

"Where's your brother?" Maura asked as Harper ran past her, scrambling to crawl onto the bed and onto Janes body, resting her head against her mamas as she waited for her good morning kisses. Jane was completely absorbed in rolling around the mattress with the little girl to bother making any effort to get an answer out of Harper on Mauras behalf.

"Do you know what today is?!" Jane asked excitedly, suddenly sitting up and standing Harper on her feet in her Minnie mouse pyjamas in front of her. Maura pursed her lips from the doorway, waiting to see the little girls excited reaction before she went and got her brother. "It's your birthday!" Jane exclaimed, picking the little girl up and bringing her against her chest, covering her little face in kisses.

The loud excited squeals that came from Harpers mouth in that moment would have been enough to wake the neighbourhood up, and it was in that moment Maura knew she should go help Noah out of the crib. He hadn't quite mastered climbing out the way his sister had.

"Be careful." The blonde warned as she made her way to collect their son from his crib, leaving Jane and Harper alone to continue giggling excitedly over the twins birthday.

"Do you know how old you are today?" Jane asked Harper who was now lying sideways in her mother's lap like she did when she was a newborn. Harper shook her head dramatically as she rolled a strand of Janes long curls through her fingers.

"How old are you today Noah?" Maura asked as she walked back into the room, placing the tired boy on the bed beside Jane. He instinctively stood up and wrapped his arms around Jane's shoulders, looking down at his sister whose furrowed brow warned that she was on the verge of screaming about having to share Jane's attention.

Noah let go of his dark haired parent, dropping to his knees and shuffling across the bed until he landed in Mauras lap, wasting no time in trying to pull her nightgown down so he could breastfeed.

"Maybe we should wait a little longer before we add to this craziness." Maura joked as she removed one of her arms from her nightgown so she could lower it enough to feed the little boy. Jane smiled across at her as Harper made a move to stand in Janes lap.

"How old are you today?" Jane asked the little girl again. Maura leaning back so Jane couldn't see her, holding up one finger to Harper until the little girl mimicked her mother's actions, Jane laughing as she looked back at her wife.

"Mommy, mama, mommy." Harper started rambling as she looked between her two parents.

"What is it baby?" Maura asked, tilting her head slightly as she tried to decipher what it was the little girl wanted to get across. Jane leaned across their daughter to grab her cellphone off of the bedside table, checking the time before Harper took it out of her hands, staring down at the screensaver.

"Bass." Harper said as clear as day as she pointed at the phone, both Jane and Mauras eyebrows rising in surprise. Jane tiled the phone so she could see the photo on the screen, and as usual saw a photo of Maura and the twins cuddled up in bed after a bath.

"Where's Bass babe?" Jane asked in confusion, not liking at all that their one year old was already able to completely confuse her. Maybe Harper didn't actually know what she was saying, Jane thought to herself.

"Bass!" Harper repeated, pointing down at the phone. Maura let out a quiet giggle as she took the phone from the little girls hand to examine the photo. Sure enough there Bass was hiding beside the bed right before her.

"Good girl Harper!" Maura exclaimed, placing the usual over the top smile she used whenever one of the babies achieved something onto her face.

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The best thing that happened to Maura Isles in the past month was her discovery of Bostons local Baby and Me yoga studio. The mere concept of taking both of the babies at once was far too daunting for the first time mother so she found herself going twice a week, giving each of the babies the opportunity for one-on-one mommy time. Maura had made her first mommy friend at Yoga too; Holly. Holly was a stay at home mom who had a little boy only three months older than the twins.

"Why do I have to do the daddy stuff?" Jane complained loudly from the backdoor where she stood watching a group of men assemble the Winnie The Pooh jumping castle Maura had ordered for the twins birthday party. It had taken Jane all of half an hour of helping them before she became too frustrated and had given up. Angela pursed her lips to stifle a laugh as she looked up at her daughter in law who held a sleeping Noah in her arms.

"Would you rather do the mommy stuff?" Maura snapped as Jane leaned her head around the corner to catch sight of her wife struggling to decorate the living room with their baby boy snuggled up against her. Jane felt her nose scrunch up; there was no way she would rather be cooped up inside decorating. Jane disappeared back outside with Harper in her arms.

"Let me take him." Holly spoke suddenly from the front door, placing her son Mason on the living room floor. The little dark haired boy made a b-line for the backyard when he spotted Jane and Harper rolling around on the grass.

"I am so happy to see you." Maura giggled quietly at the sight of her new best friend placing two gifts on the kitchen counter. Holly had blonde hair a shade lighter than Mauras, though her olive skin resembled Janes far more than Mauras. She always dressed well, even when she was dressed down.

"Hi birthday boy." Holly cooed as she took Noah from Mauras arms, instantly rocking from side to side to ensure he wouldn't wake up.

"Does Mason sleep a lot?" Maura asked casually as she stood on the tips of her toes to tape a banner across the front door. Holly shook her head as she continued rocking, shrugging lightly when Mauras brow furrowed. "He sleeps at least five hours longer than Harper a day."

"I wouldn't stress about it, babies are all on their own schedules Maur." Holly responded coolly, sensing Mauras worry as she looked down at the little boy who was fast asleep in her arms.

The afternoon passed by painfully fast, the backyard completely full of toddlers and family members before Maura had even finished decorating. Maura and Jane decided that rather than one of them taking both babies on the jumping castle, they would take turns taking one of them to gauge their reactions.

"Harper, come to mama." Jane called, holding her arms out to the little girl who ran on unsteady feet and threw herself into Janes arms.

"Be careful." Maura warned as she lifted Noah up into her arms. The little boy rested in her arms happily, his head wasting no time in leaning against her shoulder. "As soon as their done, mommy will take you on." Maura promised the little boy as she slowly started rocking her body side to side.

It was all of fifteen seconds later when the backyard was filled with Harpers ear shattering screams. Maura felt her heart stop, Noahs head shooting up and looking for the source of the blood curdling sound. It was then that Jane slid out of the jumping castle with Harpers face buried deep in her neck.

"Here, look." Jane cooed as she got to where Maura stood. The little girl didn't waste a second even checking that it was Maura she was being handed to, wrapping her hands around Mauras neck. "I don't think she likes jumping castles." Jane pointed out with wide eyes as she looked at Noah who was yet to have his turn.

"Why don't you get Frankie to take him in." Maura suggested, nodding toward her brother in law who was sitting with her best friend on two lawn chairs. Jane didn't say anything as she placed the boy on the ground, taking his hand and leading him toward his uncle.

"Mommy." Harper whimpered against Mauras neck. The blonde woman took a deep breath at the realisation the little girl was only screaming in fear, not from any form of physical pain.

"Do you want to go see the baby ducks?" Maura asked in the calmest voice she could as she ran a hand comfortingly up and down Harpers back. Harper nodded weakly as they made their way to the small petting zoo, the little girls mood completely changing at the sight of the baby animals.

"Mommy, duck!" Harper exclaimed excitedly when Maura bent down and placed her on the ground before the ducklings. Maura hovered where she crouched right behind the little girl, leaning forward and picking one up to carefully place it in the girls hands.

"Gentle, baby." Maura reinforced when she noticed Harpers little hands tightening around the yellow duckling. Harper bought the animal up to her face, pressing a kiss to the top of it's head before she carefully moved to place it down again.

"Bass?" Harper asked, turning around to look up Maura. The older woman couldn't help but let out a quiet giggle at her daughters enthusiasm over their tortoise.

"No baby, Bass is…" Mauras sentence was cut off by the sound of Jane screaming her name. The scream echoed through the backyard, everyone stopping what they were doing to turn their attention toward the sound. Maura looked across at Holly who was moving toward where they stood. "Watch her for me." Maura requested of her new best friend, walking past Harper before she saw her little boy lying on the grass.

His little body was thrashing around, Jane standing up staring down at him in complete shock as Frankie made an effort to keep him on his side. Maura felt as though her heart hade moved into her throat, kicking her heels off and making a b-line to where they were standing.

"What happened?" Maura asked in the calmest voice she could, pushing Jane out of the way as she bent down and looked Frankie straight in the eye, his hands shaking where they rested on Noah.

"Nothing. We were jumping and then he started to…" Frankie's words caught in his throat. Maura forced herself to look up at Jane, whose pale white face was still covered in complete shock.

"Call an ambulance."